Fossil fuel alternatives have come to light in recent years as the practical limits and eventual exhaustion of natural resources are considered. Tractor trailer trucks, being a leading consumer of fossil fuels and major contributor of combustion pollutants, have received particular scrutiny. Further, hybrid vehicle technology, gaining increasing popularity with smaller, consumer oriented vehicles, have yet to be adopted for larger vehicles, partially due to the limits of gathering and storing electrical energy on a scale sufficient for such larger vehicles. Solar energy, however, has been viewed as a viable contributor for ancillary vehicle loads over the native vehicle propulsion system (i.e. diesel engine). The flat, exposed surface of a trailer roof represents untapped surfaces for solar energy if strategically utilized and managed.